The Vanguard is the Soldier who plants flag and dares the enemy to come through. Where Commandos move and Marksmen pick targets from across the field, Vanguards hold the choke point, anchor the line, and absorb whatever the encounter throws at the party.

Quick read: The front-line Soldier. Heavy armor, hold-the-line traits, anchors the team. Think Captain Rex in clone armor, Andor in a Rebel firefight.

What you do at the table

Vanguards stand between the party and the threat. Your sheet emphasizes heavy armor proficiency (highest AC of any non-Force class), traits that punish enemies for moving past you, and reaction-based defenses that protect adjacent allies. You're not the fastest mover or the highest damage dealer — you're the wall that buys the rest of the party time.

Vanguards work especially well in cramped tactical maps (corridors, doorways, bridges) where positioning matters and a single unmovable defender shapes the whole encounter.

Sibling differentiation

vs. Commando — Vanguards plant; Commandos move. Same hit points, different roles.
vs. Marksman — Vanguards in melee + close range; Marksmen at long range.
vs. Jedi Guardian — Both are tanks. Guardians use a lightsaber and Force; Vanguards use heavy armor and squad coordination.

Build tips

STR primary (heavy melee, athletics, shoves). CON to 14+ (you're the HP wall). DEX is fine at 12 — your AC comes from heavy armor, not dexterity.

Common pitfalls

Heavy armor caps your DEX bonus to AC. Putting DEX at 16 doesn't help your AC if you're in heavy armor — invest those points in CON or STR instead.
Don't chase damage. Your value isn't kills; it's that the party's healer doesn't need to use a heal because you ate the hit.
Watch your positioning before initiative is rolled. Vanguards win fights at the planning stage — be the first one through the doorway.

Class Features by Level

Level 31 feature

Power Attack

Before making a melee attack, you can take a –2 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, it deals +4 bonus damage. This bonus increases to +6 at level 10 and +8 at level 17. Usable once per turn, only while wielding Heavy or two-handed melee weapons.

Scales: Lv 10 · Lv 17

Level 51 feature

Armor Mastery

While wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC that increases with experience: +2 AC at level 10, +3 AC at level 15. You lose this bonus if incapacitated or not wearing armor.

Scales: Lv 10 · Lv 15

Level 61 feature

Extra Attack

You can attack twice instead of once when you take the Attack action.

Level 71 feature

Battle Cry

bonus_action · once per short rest

Once per Short Rest, as a Bonus Action, release a Battle Cry affecting all creatures within 30 feet who can see or hear you. Allies gain advantage on attack rolls until the start of your next turn; enemies must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + PB + Str) or suffer disadvantage on their next attack roll. Level 11 – Tremor of Fury: usable twice per Short Rest; allies also deal +2 bonus damage on their next successful hit; enemies who fail become Frightened until the end of your next turn. Level 17 – Earthshaker's Wrath: all effects last for three rounds.

Scales: Lv 11 · Lv 17

Level 91 feature

Taunt

bonus_action · proficiency bonus per long rest

As a Bonus Action, target up to two creatures within 30 feet that can see or hear you. Each must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + PB + Str) or become Taunted until the start of your next turn. A Taunted creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against any target other than you. Usable a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus per Long Rest. Level 13: target up to three creatures; effect lasts three rounds or until the creature can no longer see or hear you; if a Taunted creature attacks an ally, you may Reaction to make a melee attack against it. Level 19: target any number of creatures within 30 ft; the first time a Taunted creature hits you with a melee attack each round, it takes damage equal to your Strength modifier.

Scales: Lv 13 · Lv 19

Level 101 feature

Extra Second Wind

once per long rest

Once per Long Rest, you can regain an additional 1d10 + Character Level hit points.

Level 111 feature

Staggering Counter

reaction

Once per round, when a melee attack misses you, you can use your Reaction to make a melee attack against the attacker.

Level 131 feature

Battle Anchor

When you hit a creature with a melee opportunity attack, its speed becomes 0 until the end of its turn.

Level 141 feature

Sweeping Strike

action

As an Action, make one melee attack against each creature within your melee reach. Each hit deals reduced damage: first target takes full weapon damage, each subsequent target takes –2 damage cumulatively (second –2, third –4, etc.).

Level 151 feature

Long Strider

Your speed is increased by 10 feet.

Level 171 feature

Weapons Discipline

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a weapon damage die, you may reroll the die and must use the new result. In addition, when you score a critical hit, you roll one additional damage die of the weapon's type.

Level 181 feature

Guardian Aura

reaction

While not incapacitated and wielding a melee weapon, all allies within 15 feet gain +2 AC and Advantage on saving throws against being Frightened or Charmed. When an ally within this aura takes damage, you can use your Reaction to reduce that damage by an amount equal to your Constitution modifier.

Level 191 feature

Melee Mastery

When using a melee weapon, your critical hit range improves to 19–20.

Level 202 features

Ability Score Improvement

Increase one ability score by 2, or two ability scores by 1 each (max 20), OR choose one ASI Alternative Trait.

Unbreakable Form

bonus_action · once per long rest

Once per Long Rest, as a Bonus Action, enter your Unbreakable Form for three rounds. While active: you gain resistance to all damage; your hit points cannot be reduced below 1; you immediately gain temporary hit points equal to twice your Vanguard level + your Constitution modifier; you can use your Battle Cry and Taunt features without expending uses.